Deputies have arrested the children’s mother.

PINELLAS COUNTY – A North Redington Beach woman was arrested after her son, 6, beat his 13-day-old sister to death, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

Kathleen Bridget Steele, 13 days, died Monday (Aug. 8) at St. Petersburg Hospital.

Kathleen Marie Steele, 62, of 356 Bath Club Blvd. N in North Redington Beach, was charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child, a felony.

Deputies said they were called to Steele’s home in North Redington Beach about 4:30 p.m. Monday for a 2-week-old child who had died of cardiac arrest. When deputies arrived, they learned the baby had been taken by ambulance to St. Petersburg General Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Steele told deputies she had been out running errands with the baby and her two sons, and, when she returned home, realized her daughter was unresponsive. She noticed the baby was purple in the face and brought the baby into the house from the car. Steele called a neighbor who is a registered nurse and lives on the same street. The neighbor came, called 911 and gave CPR until fire rescue arrived.

But an investigation by sheriff’s deputies and child protection investigators found that the baby had sustained severe head trauma that included extensive bruising and multiple skull fractures. Deputies said they discovered the baby’s injuries happened when she was left alone in the car for more than 30 minutes with her two brothers. Steele had stopped at a cell phone repair store at 1472 66th St. N in St. Petersburg. When she went into the store, deputies said, she locked the children in the car, rolled the windows up and turned the vehicle off.

Deputies said the baby’s 6-year-old brother told them he took his sister from her car seat, slammed her head onto the ceiling, banged her head on the floor and dropped her numerous times while his mother was in the cell phone store. Those injuries ultimately caused the baby’s death, deputies said.

Deputies arrested Steele Thursday (Aug. 11). The 6 year old and Steele’s 13-year-old son were placed in therapeutic foster care, deputies said.

For a video of Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri’s press conference about this incident, go to youtube.com.

Photos are from Sheriff Bob Gualtieri’s press conference. In one, the sheriff demonstrates how the baby was injured.

Pinellas Sheriff | Baby Killed | Brother Kills Baby | Bob Gualtieri | TB Reporter

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